Thelma Gibbon, a resident of Sally Martin Park in Parys, for many years, died on Tuesday, 27 April after a short illness, at the age of 92. Thelma Mary Olga Gibbon was born in Port Elizabeth on 1 February 1929, as the eldest of eight children. She married Henry Harold Gibbon in Port Elizabeth on 13 September 1947.
They had four children – Michael, Beryl, David and Alan – 23 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. In 1950, they left South Africa and lived in Southern Rhodesia (now Zim- babwe), and later moved to Northern Rhodesia. In 1964, they returned to South Africa and settled in the Vredefort district where they ran a farm trading store, and Henry a small milling plant.
They later moved to Parys. Thelma worked in the credit department of the Arwa factory for 15 years until it closed down. Henry ran the milling plant at Parys Rollermeule until the late seventies. In March 1991, they built their flat in Sally Martin, Parys. They were founding members and theirs was the fifth unit built. In 1993, Isabel Chalmers employed Thelma to help her in the office where she worked until early 2006. Henry passed away in July 2003 after 56 years of marriage.
Thelma was an enthusiastic participant in the six melodramas that Sally Martin Park presented in the past. She sang in the church- and Sally Martin Park choirs, and the Wednesday sing-along sessions. She was a fundraiser in the early days when Sally Martin Park was established, and usually ran the white elephant stall. Together with Vi Malan, she established the “snoepie”, which has grown into the Wooden Spoon of today.
She was a long-standing member of the Parys Methodist Church. The memorial service took place at Sally Martin Park on Tuesday, 4 May. Thelma will be sadly missed for her sunny personality.
